By far the most controversial document to emerge from Vatican II was "Dignitatis Humanae", or the "Declaration on Religious Freedom". Drafted by John Courtney Murray, it represented a departure from previous Catholic teachings in that it accepted the separation between church and state and declared religious freedom a fundamental human right. In doing this, it set forth guidelines for the role of the Catholic Church in secular liberal and pluralistic societies. Nearly four decades later, in 2002, Rico examines the continued relevance of this declaration in today's world, compares its most paradigmatic interpretations, and proposes a reconsideration of its import for contemporary church-society relationships. He offers a detailed analysis of how Pope John Paul II has appropriated, interpreted and developed the main themes of the document, and how he has applied them to such contentious modern issues as the fall of communism and the rise of secular pluralism.
